Driver who mowed down mother in court again

Michael Inman

The driver who killed mother-of-two Linda Cox in a hit-run outside the Canberra Hospital has been committed to the ACT Supreme Court over another car theft only weeks before the fatal crash.

Justin Lee Monfries, 25, pleaded guilty in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday to charges of taking 52 litres of premium fuel from a Fyshwick service station without paying, and driving a motor vehicle without consent.

Magistrate Bernadette Boss committed Monfries to face the higher court for sentence over the car theft before fining him $600 and ordering he repay the $84.36 to the fuel outlet for petrol theft.

The court heard Monfries did not work in jail and had an income of $15 a week while in custody.

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Dr Boss gave him three months to pay the reparation order, but set no timeframe to clear the fine.

Monfries will appear before the ACT Supreme Court for directions later this month.

In June, Monfries was jailed for almost 13-years after pleading guilty to three charges relating to the horrific crash that killed Mrs Cox and seriously injured Ashlee Bumpus.

The 38-year-old mother was killed instantly the stolen car, driven by Monfries, ran a red light and mowed down her and a co-worker as they crossed the road after finishing a shift at the hospital.

Ms Bumpus, then 25, suffered multiple fractures to her legs and spent almost three months in a wheelchair as a result of the crash.

Monfries kept driving, but crashed about 150 metres down the road and was arrested by police.